Folding basket



(No Model.)

B. M. HUDGIN. FOLDING BASKET.

' No. 518,783. I Patented Apr. 24,1894.

Nr'rno STATE ATENT Fries.

EMILY M. HUDGIN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

FOLDING BASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,783, dated April24:, 18 94. Application filed August 28, 1393. Serial No. 484,256. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known-that I, EMILY M. HUDGIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oincinnati, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Folding Baskets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to baskets, or handreceptacles of a similar nature,designed to be carried by hand for the transportation of packages; itsobject being to produce a novel receptacle of this nature capable ofbeing folded into small compass when out of use in order that it may,itself, be conveniently carried or packed.

To this end, myinvention consists in a folding basket or hand-receptaclehaving a skeleton frame preferably formed of wires, strips, or tubes, ofmetal or of any light and strong material suitable for the purpose,constituting, when unfolded, and in connection with its cover, areceptacle or basket for the purpose indicated. The general principle ofconstruction lies in combining and pivoting to center-pieces insuccessive radial relations, as hereinafter specified, a series ofyokeor bow-shaped braces or ribs, each consisting of an outer bow oryoke'with stems hinged to and prolonging its parallel ends. All thestems are pivoted at their free ends in close radial relations toopposite center-pieces, so that the braces may fold together in parallelrelations, and the stems, when thus brought together in parallelrelations at opposite sides, may fold inward in a body at each side-onebody over the other-by means of their hinged joints. The covering of theframe may beof cloth, leather, or of any material capable of beingfolded; and may be placed outside or inside of the frame, or made doubleso as to cover at'both'sides.

Myinvention is illustrated in the aecompanying drawings, in which--Figure 1, is a general side-elevation of my improved folding basket orreceptacle. complete; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the skeleton foldingframe complete, with the covering removed; Fig. ,3, a front orSide-elevationIcorresponding with Fig. 1, of the skeleton frame withradial braces folded together into parallel relations in the first stepof folding; Fig. 4, a view of the partially folded frame in a planeperpendicular to that of the last. fig-v ure, and showing in dottedlines the position of parts when completely folded together. Figs. 5,and 6, are detail end and side views, respectively, of the centralcatch-device for holding the parts in open or unfolded position for use;and Fig. 7, a detail View of a slight modification of structure.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, A, designates thebasket or receptacle embodying my invention. The skeleton frame,indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and in full perspectivein Fig. 2,consists of a series of yoke or how shaped braces, 19, extended byparallel stems, a, (designated in series order by consecutive numbers)which are pivoted to center-pieces, O, at the median cross line of thebody of the basket. The center-pieces consist of two similar metalplates c, 0f the form shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 6, which receivethe stems, a, between them upon pivots inserted from sid to side throughthe plates. The braces consist in each case of yoke-shaped .ends, I),having stems a, hinged to and extending the free ends of the yokeportion, in parallel relations. The vupper-ends of the stems are pivotedat each side of the frame to the center-pieces, C, so that each braceswings in radial relations with the next, and so that their ownhinge-connections with their yoke-ends, b, will be in line, 00, asindicated in Fig. 3, when the yokes are folded together. The stemsofeach brace are pivoted to the yoke portion so as'to fold inward, eachtoward its corresponding stem, in the general plane of the entire brace.When the braces are *brought togetherin parallel relations asshown inFig. 3, the stems may be folded downward.

as a body inward, overlapping each other as shown by the dotted linesin'Fig. 4;- -forming of the whole skeleton a small and compact bundle.

, Taking the braces in order from left' to' right, as seen in Fig. 2,the series begins with the brace, a, b, constituting the marginalsupport for the coverv around one half the mouth of the receptacle, andends with the brace, a b ,occupyi'ng similar'relations asto the otherhalf. The first and last in series are-of heavier or stronger materialthan the intervening braces; and the freeends of additional bracesconstituting yoke-shaped handles h, are pivotally attached to them asat, y, for conveniently carrying the basket by hand. The stems of thehandles h are jointed in the same manner as the other braces-the jointsbeing so placed as to register with the others in the line, or, (Fig.3,) and permit the stems of the handles to fold inward with the bracesto which they are attached.

The outer or marginal braces, a, b, a 5 of the series are prolongedsomewhat beyond their pivotal attachment with the centerpieces, C, sothat when spread out as in Figs. 1, and 2, their inner or free ends abutas shown in the detail Fig. 6. To hold them in this position I apply aspring catch, d, secured to the outer plate, 0, at each side of theframe, and standing normally with its head proj ecting inwardly as ahood over the abutting ends of the stems, a, a The stems being pivotedto the center pieces, 0, outwardly of the abutting ends, these endsswing upwardly in the same plane, from the position of the catch d, whenthe latter is pressed aside out of their plane of movement. of the shankof the catch, however, normally returns the catch back to its engagingposition. The upper surface of the hood being inclined to the plane ofmovement of the stems, the latter engage and thrust it aside in movingdownward, and permit it to spring back automatically'to engage over thestems when the basket is unfolded for use.

The cover, .2, (shown in Fig. 1,) may be attached to each brace to formlinks connecting them one to another, and bringing all to properrelative position when setting the outer braces, a I), a 11 and foldinward or outward between them in the manner of a bellows-covering, whenthe device is folded up. The braces may however be connected by flexiblelinks or cords (not shown) performing the same function independently ofthe cover, so that the frame may fold inside or outside of the coverindependently; or the latter may be made wholly detachable from theframe to be put on or in the frame as desired: or a duplicate cover overthe frame both outside and inside may be used, either permanently orremovably attached thereto. In Fig. 7 I have shown a slight modificationof structure in which center pieces 0, each made in two similar parts,a, c, are pivotedtogether centrally, and have their outer ends attachedrigidly to the stems, a, a This, however, possesses no advantage overthe construction first described. In such case The resiliency the endsof the stems draw apart in folding down, and a catch book, 6, or similardevice I is employed to retain them.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States- 1. In a folding basket or hand-receptacle, in combinationwith two opposite centerpieces, a series of yoke-shaped bracesindependently pivoted thereto and adapted to fold together in adjacentparallel cross-planes, substantially as set forth.

2. In a folding basket or hand-receptacle, a skeleton-frame consistingof a plurality of yoke-shaped braces, each independently pivoted to twoopposite centerpieces and adapted to fold together in adjacent parallelcrossplanes,-each arm of each brace being hinged to its yoke-portion sothat when thus brought together the hinges at opposite sides are in acommon axis, adapting the stems to fold inward as a body, substantiallyas set forth.

3. The combination, in a folding basket or hand-receptacle, of oppositecenter-pieces, a plurality of yoke-shaped braces independently pivotedthereto in adjacent relations, to swing outward; and catches at eachside adapted to engage the inner ends of the two outer braces of theseries, and retain them connected with. the center-pieces, substantiallyas set forth.

t. In a folding basket or receptacle the combination of the yoke-shapedbraces; the center-pieces consisting of the opposite plates with pins orrivets extending .through and between them as pivots for the braces; andthe spring catches adapted to project a hood over the joint formed bythe abutting ends of the outer braces of the series, substantially asset forth. Y

5. In a folding basket or hand-receptacle, the combination of thedescribed system of folding braces, the center-pieces to which they arepivotally attached, and the yoke-handles pivoted to the outer bracesbetween the center pieces and the yoke-bows so as to fold downward withsaid braces, and when in use, aid in keeping the receptacle in properdistended position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

EMILY M. IIUDGIN.

Vitnesses:

L. M. HOSEA, LANDON FREYBLER.

